Timeline
An approximate chronology of events in the fiction of Overwatch. Note: Few, if any, specific dates are provided in Blizzard's Overwatch lore material; instead, historical events are presented as having occurred years or months before a "now" assumed to be sometime in the late 21st century. The "now" of the timeline appears to be slowly advancing, with the "Recall" animated short being released shortly before the game's open beta and subsequent videos either detailing subsequent events ("Dragons," "Infiltration") or filling in recent history ("Alive," "Hero," "The Last Bastion"). Births of Legends 61 years ago * Reinhardt Wilhelm born.Reinhardt Story, PlayOverwatch website 60 years ago * Ana Amari born.Ana Story, PlayOverwatch website 57 years ago * Torbjörn Lindholm born.Torbjörn Story, PlayOverwatch website Approx. 56 years ago * Gabriel Reyes born. Approx. 55 years ago * Jack Morrison born. 48 years ago * Mako Rutledge born.Roadhog Story, PlayOverwatch website 45 years ago * Akande Ogundimu born.Doomfist Story, PlayOverwatch website 38 years ago * Hanzo Shimada born.Hanzo Story, PlayOverwatch 37 years ago * Angela Ziegler born.Mercy Story, PlayOverwatch website * Jesse McCree born.McCree Story, PlayOverwatch website 35 years ago * Genji Shimada born.Genji Story, PlayOverwatch website 33 years ago * Amélie Lacroix born.Widowmaker Story, PlayOverwatch website 32 years ago * Fareeha Amari born.Pharah Story, PlayOverwatch website 31 years ago * Mei-Ling Zhou born.Mei Story, PlayOverwatch website The Omnic Crisis and birth of Overwatch Over 30 years ago * Omnica Corporation proposes construction of omniums. * Omniums are constructed in multiple countries. * SST Laboratories commence manufacture of the “Bastion" line of multi-configuration Siege Automatons. * Nigeria's omnium manufactures the OR14 "Idina" line of security robots. * Omnium production rates fall short of Omnica Corporation's promises amidst multiple instances of malfunction. * Omnica Corporation investigated for fraud and dissolved; all omniums are decommissioned. 30 years ago * SST Laboratories introduce the E54 series Bastion as a peacekeeping unit. * Multiple omniums spontaneously re-activate and commence mass construction of Bastion Siege Automatons and other robot war machines. * The omniums' armies of omnics commence assaults in Russia; this is the start of the Omnic Crisis. * Omnic assaults spread to multiple other nations. * The E54 Siege Automaton omnic that becomes known as Bastion is created.Bastion Story, PlayOverwatch website * The girl who becomes known as Sombra born.Sombra Story, PlayOverwatch website 29 years ago * Winston born.Winston Story, PlayOverwatch website 28 years ago * Aleksandra Zaryanova born.Zarya Story, PlayOverwatch website * Satya Vaswani born.Symmetra Story, PlayOverwatch website 29 - 27 years ago * Russian company Volskaya Industries develops the Svyatogor line of manned assault robots in response to the omnic attack. * Germany implements and equips the Crusaders in response to the omnic attack. * Reinhardt Wilhelm joins the Crusaders. * The United States of America implements the Soldier Enhancement Program in response to the omnic attack. * Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes are inducted into the Soldier Enhancement Program. * All international attempts to repulse the omnic assault fail. * The United Nations proposes the formation of the Overwatch strike team in response to the continuing omnic threat. * Jack Morrison, Gabriel Reyes, Ana Amari, Reinhardt Wilhelm, Torbjörn Lindholm and Liao are recruited into Overwatch. * Gabriel Reyes becomes Overwatch's first Strike Commander. * Overwatch commences achieving victories against the omnics. 26 years ago * Lena Oxton born.Tracer Story, PlayOverwatch website * Lúcio Correia dos Santos born.Lúcio Story, PlayOverwatch website 25 years ago * Jamison Fawkes born.Junkrat Story, PlayOverwatch website 20+ years ago *The Reaper starts appearing in armed conflicts, showing no loyalty to any cause or organization.Reaper Story, PlayOverwatch websiteMichael Chu comment on Reaper 20 years ago * Overwatch's strikes against the omnic command and control structure render the majority of the omnic armies inert. * The Omnic Crisis is declared over. * Overwatch commences transition to a peacetime organization; Jack Morison replaces Gabriel Reyes as Overwatch Strike Commander while Gabriel Reyes is shifted to command of the newly-formed Blackwatch. * The omnic that becomes known as Zenyatta is built.Zenyatta Story, PlayOverwatch website The "golden age" of Overwatch 19 years ago * Hana Song born. 19 - approx. 10 years ago: * A Himalayan monastery of omnics, led by the omnic monk Tekhartha Mondatta, become global celebrities through their effots to create human-omnic harmony. * Zenyatta departs the monastery to travel the world. * The Australin government gifts the Australian omnium to a local omnic community, displacing many humans including Mako Rutledge.Roadhog Story, PlayOverwatch website * The Australian Liberation Front is formed around the core of humans displaced by the Australian omnium and commences direct action against the facility. * An ALF strike sabotages the Australian omnium's fusion core, causing an explosion that irradiates the surrounding bushland. 11 years ago * Efi Oladele born. 10 years ago * The Numbani government recommissions the OR14 program, updating the robots to the OR15 design. The fall of Overwatch commences Approx. 9 - 7 years ago * Allegations of corruption and illegal activity are leveled against Overwatch. * Overwatch's Slipstream experimental jet fighter and its pilot, Lena "Tracer" Oxton, goes missing during a test flight. * The existence of Blackwatch becomes public knowledge. * Tracer is discovered in a state of chronal dissociation; Winston commences work on a solution. * Winston develops the chronal accelerator and stabilizes Tracer in the present. * Tracer and Winston commence testing the abilities granted to Tracer by the chronal accelerator. * The Japanese govermnent files a complaint about Blackwatch activity within their borders. * An Overwatch official, possibly Gérard Lacroix, is murdered. * UN Director Petras orders an investigation into an incident in Cairo. 7 years ago: The Null Sector uprising * Omnic extremist group Null Sector kidnaps Tekhartha Mondatta, London's mayor Nandah and a hundred people, holding them in a King's Row power plant."Uprising"Uprising event * The UK prime minister denies Overwatch permission to operate within British borders. * Jesse McCree travels to the UK and provides Overwatch with intelligence on Null Sector disposition. Reyes will not confirm or deny sending McCree into England. * Strike Commander Morrison approves Tracer's request for active duty as an Overwatch field agent. * Strike Commander Morrison ignores orders from UN Director Petras and disregards the UK prime minister by dispatching a mission team comprised of Mercy, Reinhardt, Torbjörn and Tracer to King's Row. 6 years ago * A photo later displayed in Winston's recall broadcast shows Tracer, Reyes, Winston, Ana, McCree, Reinhart, Mercy and Strike Commander Morrison at what appears to be a press event for the International Justice Commission's Global Security division, where a senior official shakes the hand of an unidentified omnic. All eight Overwatch agents appear to have been awarded golden IJC medals. * Captain Ana Amari is believed killed in action by Amélie Lacroix during a hostage rescue mission led by Strike Commander Morrison. * Winston captures Doomfist in Numbani by with assistance from Genji and Tracer. * The United Nations authorises a secret investigation of Overwatch and Blackwatch. * An explosion destroys Overwatch's Swiss HQ; Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes are believed killed. * The United Nations officially disband Overwatch and ratify the Petras Act. * An environmental disaster at Ecopoint: Antarctica forces the facility's staff to enter cryostasis. 5 years - 3 months ago * Tensions between humans and omnics in Russia reach breaking point; the Second Omnic Crisis commences. * The sniper known as Shrike makes several disruptive attacks on Talon operations in Egypt. * Soldier: 76 steals the Heavy Pulse Rifle prototype from Watchpoint: Grand Mesa. * Soldier: 76 assaults the compound of the criminal Hakim in Giza but is attacked by Reaper. Shrike intervenes and drives Reaper away. Shrike and Soldier: 76 reveal their identities (Ana Amari and Jack Morrison, respectively) to each other and join forces. * McCree eliminates a Talon team raiding an American cross-continental hypertrain but dumps the object the Talon team were attempting to steal before Talon backup can arrive. The Present: Resurrection of Overwatch The present day events of Overwatch are around 60 years after 2016,Overwatch is around 60 years in future and thus are around the year 2076. Around September * Over the course of a few weeks, Soldier: 76 targets multiple former Overwatch facilities and steals equipment, including a prototype Heavy Pulse Rifle.Experimental Weapon Stolen from Watchpoint: Grand Mesa * Winston commences work on a prototype shield generator. * A news report estimates the death toll due to the Second Omnic Crisis at over fifty thousand. * A Talon infiltration team led by Reaper on a raid on Watchpoint: Gibraltar is partially foiled by Winston."Recall" However Reaper is successful in obtaining part of the list of former Overwatch members' locations. * Winston sends a signal recalling all former Overwatch agents to active duty. Tracer responds immediately. * Widowmaker assassinates Tekhartha Mondatta during the omnic monk's speaking appearance at King's Row.In "Recall" it is stated in a news broadcast that Mondatta will be speaking in London later than evening "Alive" * Shortly after the events of "Recall",Genji is shown to be in Japan in "Recall" on the anniversary of his "death" Genji reveals to his brother Hanzo that he is alive."Dragons" * Soldier: 76 attacks Los Muertos in Dorado."Hero" * A Monday: Winston and Tracer foil a raid by Reaper and Widowmaker on a museum exhibit dedicated to Overwatch. Reaper and Widowmaker were attempting to retrieve the Doomfist gauntlet.Overwatch Cinematic TrailerOverwatch is Back: Uncertainty and Hope After UN Confirms Vigilante Activity * Bastion awakens in the Black Forest."The Last Bastion" * Reaper leads a Talon assassination mission to kill Katya Volskaya, with Sombra and Widowmaker as his team. The mission is a failure due to Sombra's antics."Infiltration" * Sombra leaks LumériCo information, the CEO is forced to temporarily step down, and Los Muertos plan to have a protest on the 1st of November.LumériCo Revelations: CEO Guillermo Portero Under FireLUMÉRICO CEO STEPS DOWN * Three months prior to the present day, thanks to Reaper, Doomfist breaks out of a Helix Security International-owned prison,Times of Numbani - New Details Surface Following Major Security Breach"Masquerade""Doomfirst Origin Story" and meets with fellow Talon board member Maximilien. * Doomfist causes fellow board member Vialli to fall to his assumed death. Reaper and Doomfist meet with the rest of the board members of Talon. Between September and November * Doomfist goes to retrieve the Doomfist gauntlet, and destroys the entire complement of new OR15 defense robots who were sent to stop him."Orisa Origin Story"Introducing Doomfist * Efi Oladele uses money from the the Adawe Foundation's "genius grant" to purchase spare OR15 parts. November * 1st November: LumériCo are meant to unveil their new nuclear plant in Dorado, and Los Muertos organize to have a protest on this day. * Efi Oladele completes construction of a modified OR15 containing an adaptive artificial intelligence with a custom personality. Efi names the robot Orisa. December * Around 25th December: Each of the Overwatch characters partake in Christmas in their own way."Reflections" * Bastion - who had traveled via the Baltic sea - appears in Northern Sweden and encounters the locals. Torbjörn - who had been sent to hunt Bastion down - discovers that Bastion has become more than his programming and takes him in."Binary" Other *The seemingly fictional events depicted in the Halloween story told by Reinhardt: "The Tale of Dr. Junkenstein" are presumably set in the 1700s"Junkenstein""Junkenstein's Revenge" (as this is the time-period that the real-world fictional story "Frankenstein" is set in). References